Release the Prisoners!
This is a side quest for the first map of Althror's Fief. It is written down in the player's Journal if the player accepts the quest from Kuthbert, the priest. * You have a key to the cells * Kuthbert it cowering behind his lecturn as you approach. Clearly, this man of the cloth is not well-suited to dealing with such unnatural horrors. He beckons furiously for you to come and speak to him from the safety of his hiding place. 'You have to help!' he whispers through gritted teeth, 'As the chaplain, I am responsible for the spiritual wellbeing of the prisoners as well as the castle staff. The staff are able to defend themselves, but the prisoners are shackled and chained. If one of those monsters makes it's way to the cells, they will have no chance! 'The prisoners are no great criminals,' he continues, 'drunkards and petty thieves, mostly. They are no real threat to anyone! In emergencies such as this, Grolik, the captain of the guard, has given me permission to free the prisoners so they have a chance to escape. But... well... I am not a brave man. Please, please, take my key to the cells, and go release the prisoners from their shackles! Tell them to escape while they still can!' * And with shaking hands, Kuthbert hands you his cell key. The Story Kuthbert, the priest, has given me his cell key and asked me to go and free the prisoners from the cells. He fears that, chained up, they are sitting ducks to be massacred by the invading cadavers. As their crimes are only minor, it would be better to release them now to give them a chance of survival. Kuthbert does not dare leave his hiding place, and has asked me to go to the cells for him. * The prisoner, clearly a drunkard, merely stares at you in confusion, his ale-addled mind unable to comprehend the warnings you hiss at him about the perils in the castle. * Grabbing a nearby bucket of water, you upturn it over his head. The cold, wet shock sharpens his senses, and you explain again that the castle is under attack as you unlock his shackles. The prisoner lurches to his feet, thanks you for your aid, and staggers off in the direction of the courtyard. You wonder if he will make it far, but have little time to dwell on it as you hear another prisoner in the adjacent cell calling out to you for aid... I have released the first of the prisoners. There are others yet to be freed, however. * Working quickly, you unlock the manacles that bind this prisoner to the wall, explaining the dangers apparent in the castle to him. As the last of his shakles falls to the floor, he stands, dusts himself off, and shakes you by the hand. Then, suddenly, he pulls you close and whispers furtively in your ear... 'Say, friend,' he hisses through his teeth. 'We could turn this state of affairs to our advantage. See, I was locked up here for... well... trying to 'liberate' some of the wealth from the visiting gentry. Those upper-class fops, they have more gold than they need, don't they! 'Anyway, one of the guests has locked some of his previous gold in a chest, up in the guest quarters just off the common room, one level up from here. I can pick the lock... but what with these monsters you speak of, I could use someone tough like you to fight off anything that might get in our way! What do you say? Meet me in the gust quarters and I'll split the gold with you, fifty-fifty!' * And with that, he slinks off. You stand there, pondering. The honorable thing to do would be to find Grolik, the captain of the guard, and have this miscreant arrested. But... you could always abet him in his crime, and earn some coin of your own. If you quietly head up to the guest chambers and meet him there... I have released the second prisoner. He has made me a proposition - meet him in the guest chambers just off the common room on the first floor and he will share some gold he intends to steal with me. I could either be a part of the crime and meet him there, or I could seek out Grolik, the captain of the guard, and report him, which would be the more honourable thing to do... * Turn him in option: ** You fill Grolik in on the freed prisoner's plans to pilfer from the castle guest chambers. 'As if we didn't have enough on our hands!' growls the grizzled veteran. 'You are a good man, friend, for telling me this. I'll see if I can find a spare guardsman to apprehend that scum. Freed as an act of goodwill and this is how he repays us! Invasion or no, I'll not let that stand...' I have told Grolik about the thief's plans to steal the gold. He has thanked me for doing the right thing, and will take care of the thief. * Go with the thief ** Rewards Experience: 250 Gold: 0 Fame or Infamy: 1